Automatically-operable adhesive applicator



April 25, 1967 J. 5. KAMBORIAN 3,315,635

AUTOMATICALLY-OPERABLE ADHESIVE APPLICATOR Original Filed April 1 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jacob 5. Kambor/an By Wfi mrrr y April 25, 1967 5, KAMBORIAN 3,315,635

AUTOMATICALLY-OPERABLE ADHESIVE APPLICATOR Original Filed April 1, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 "IIIIIIJ mwmQMssmw La IIMII United States Patent 3,315,635 AUTOMATICALLY-OPERABLE ADHESIVE APPLICATOR Jacob S. Kamborian, 133 Forest Ave.,

West Newton, Mass. 02165 Continuation of application Ser. No. 269,533, Apr. 1, 1963. This application Mar. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 538,869 8 Claims. (CL 118-1) This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 269,533, filed Apr. 1, 1963.

This invention relates to apparatus for applying adhesive to parts of shoes and more especially to the heelend of an insole preparatory to the lasting of the heelend portion of the upper thereto.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide apparatus which will enable the operator to effect the application of adhesive to the end of an insole which has been tacked or otherwise secured to the bottom of a last preparatory to the lasting operation by the simple expedient of placing the last, bottom down, into the apparatus and then removing it therefrom; to provide apparatus which may conveniently be placed adjacent a lasting machine by means of which adhesive may be applied to the end portion of an insole attached to the bottom of the last without having to step away from the lasting machine thereby eliminating loss of time and added exertion on the part of the operator; and to provide apparatus which is of relatively simple construction, reliable, durable and eflicient.

As herein illustrated, the apparatus comprises a support on which the part to have adhesive applied thereto is placed; an applicator .movable from a remote position to a position adjacent the support for contact with the part; power-operable means for effecting movement of the applicator; and means operative, by the positioning of the part on the support, to initiate operation of the poweroperated' means. The means operative to initiate operation of the power-operated means may be a sensing device having one or more components situated adjacent the support, responsive to the proximity of the part resting on the support or to interposition of the part between the components. Specifically, the sensing means comprises a nozzle situated at one side of the support and a diaphragm at the other side, the latter normally being held displaced by a jet of air from the nozzle and, in the displaced position, holding a switch in an open position. Interposition of a last between the nozzle and diaphragm blocks the jet, allow the diaphragm to collapse and close the switch and, by closing the switch, supplies pressure to the pressure-operated means which is in the form of a fluid-operable motor. The applicator is normally submerged in a receptacle below the support, the latter being fixed to the support so as to extend over its open top. A linkage supports the applicator and the motor is operably connected to the linkage so as to raise it from the receptacle and includes a support which permits the applicator to tilt a limited amount about axes transversely of and longitudinally of the support for accom- :modation of the applicator to the cant of the bottom of the last. The applicator is of substantially U-shaped configuration for conformance to the end portion of the shoe, is comprised of two parts, each having a leg and a curved end, and there is means for adjustably mounting the parts for movement toward and away from each other for accommodation of the applicator to shoes of "Ice different size. An end gauge is mounted on the receptacle at the rear side of the support for contact with the end of the shoe to hold it in proper position with reference to the applicator and there is means for affording adjustment of the gauge forwardly and rearwardly with reference to the applicator.

The invention will now be described in greater detailwith reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the apparatus with the cover and melting pot omitted;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken from front-to-back with the parts shown in elevation;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation, to much smaller scale;

FIG. 4 is an elevation of one-half of the applicator;

FIG. 5 is an elevation of a table for supporting the applicator;

FIG. 6 is a section of a cradle on which the table is mounted;

FIG. 7 is a plan of the bottom of a last with an insole secured thereto and with a band of adhesive applied to the heel-end of the insole;

FIG. 8 is an elevation of a last with an insole and upper assembled thereon and with the back part of the upper lifted away from the heel end;

FIG. 9 is a transverse section taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 1, showing parts in elevation;

FIG. 10 is an elevation of a binding post; and

FIG. 11 is a diagram of the control means.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a receptacle 12 of substantially rectangular configuration comprised, for example, of aluminum, containing in its upper part a well or chamber 14 which isopen at the top for holding a quantity of liquid adhesive. One wall of the receptacle contains an opening 16 into which. is threaded one end of a pipe 18. The opposite end of the pipe 18 has threaded onto it and provides support for a melting pot 20 having a cover 22 pivoted to it. Solid adhesive, in the form of blocks or granules, are placed in the pot 20 and melted therein by suitable means and, when the molten adhesive reaches the level of the pipe 18, it flows from the pot into the well- 14 of the receptacle 12. The flow of adhesive from the pot to the receptacle may be controlled by a conventional float valve. The adhesive is kept hot and in a molten condition within the well 14 by a plurality of heating elements 24 disposed in the receptacle 12 below the well 14, the temperature of which is kept constant by a thermostat 26-.

A support 28 is fastened by bolts 30 to the top of the receptacle 12 so as to extend horizontally over the open top of the well 14, from the front side toward the rear side and midway between the opposite sides fol-supporting the part to whic the adhesive is to be applied in position for application of the adhesive thereto. As illustrated, a last L, with an insole S thereon, is disposed with its heel-end resting on the support 28 above the well for application of a band of adhesive a to the heel-end of the insole at the margin in the form of a U, for the purpose of securing the margin of an upper thereto during the subsequent lasting operation. The application of the adhesive to the insole may be carried out prior to assembling the upper on the last, as illustrated in FIG. 7, or, if the upper A, as shown in FIG. 8, has already been assembled on the last, the heel-end may be lifted out of the way so as to permit positioning. the heel-end of the last and insole on the support for application of adhesive to the insole without interference from the downwardly projecting margin of the upper. Obviously, the apparatus could also be used with suitable modification, as will be mentioned hereinafter, for applying a band of adhesive to the toe end of a shoe.

The adhesive is transferred from the well 14 to the part to which it is to be applied by an applicator 32 (FIG. 1), shown herein of generally U-shaped configuration, specifically for the purpose of applying a band to the heel-end of a shoe. The applicator is supported Within the well, submerged in the adhesive by a cradle 34 having a horizontally disposed bottom part 36 and right-angularly disposed flanges 38-38 at its opposite ends. The flanges 38-38 contain openings 40-40 parallel to the bottom part 36, within which are mounted pins 42-42, the latter extending outwardly from the flanges and providing means for pivotally supporting the cradle at the lower ends of a pair of hangers 44-44, which are provided for this purpose with holes 46-46 for receiving the outer ends of the pins 42-42. The hangers 44-44 are pivotally supported at their upper ends on pins 47-47 mounted at the forward ends of a pair of arms 48-48, which extend rearwardly and are pivotally supported at their rear ends on a shaft 50, the latter being mounted between a pair of spaced parallel bracket plates 52-52 secured to the rear side of the receptacle by bolts 54. A web 56, joining the rear ends of the arms 48-48, has at its underside a downwardly projecting ear 58. A bifurcated member 60 is pivotally secured at one end to the ear 58 by a pin 62 and rigidly secured at its opposite ends to a rod 64 projecting from a fluid-operated motor 66, the latter, in turn, being pivotally supported by trunnions 68-68 between the bracket plates 52-52. The fluid-operated motor 66 provides means for moving the arms 48-48 about the axis of the supporting shaft 50 to effect elevation of their forward ends and hence to raise and lower the applicator with respect to the support 28 on which the shoe part rests.

In order to maintain the hangers 44-44 in a vertical position throughout elevation of the arms 48-48 and hence to maintain the applicator substantially parallel to the support, links 70-70 are pivotally secured at their ends, respectively, to the hangers 44-44 by pins 7272 and to the bracket plates 52-52 by a shaft 74, the arms 48-48 and links 70-70 constituting, in effect, a parallel bar linkage. The cradle is permitted to tilt a limited amount about the axis of the pins 42-42 to allow the applicator to accommodate itself to the bottom of the last by pins 76-76 projecting inwardly from the lower ends of the hangers which loosely engage recesses 78-78 at the lower side of the cradle.

The applicator 32 is mounted on the cradle so as to permit tilting relative to a horizontal axis lengthwise of the support to accommodate itself to the bottom of the last. To this end, a table 80 (FIG. comprising a transversely disposed bar 81, having a circular part 83 at one side of its longitudinal sides and a hole 82 intermediate its ends, is mounted on the bottom part 36 parallel thereto between a pair of spaced, upwardly projecting bosses 86-86 (FIG. 6) on the bottom part by means of a pin 84, the latter being fixed at its ends in the bosses. The bar 81 contains a pair of holes 88-88 perpendicular to its surface at opposite sides of the hole 82 for receiving binding posts.

The applicator 32 which, as previously stated, is substantially U-shaped, has spaced, substantially parallel legs 90-90 and circularly curved ends 92-92 which overlap and conjointly form the bight joining the legs. Each leg and end constitutes a half of the applicator and the halves are mounted on the table 80 for movement toward and away from each other so as to change the spacing therebetween and, to this end, each part has at its lower edge a flange 94 containing a slot 96. A post 98, having a cylindrical pin 100 at its lower end and a threaded shank 102, is mounted in each of the holes 88 with the pin 100 engaged within the slot 96 of the applicator part and a nut 104 is applied to the threaded shank of each post and provides for clamping the post and applicator to the table. Each post contains a smooth hole 105 parallel to the bottom part 32, the holes being in alignment, and a bar 106 is mounted between the posts with its opposite ends extending through the holes and into threaded engagement with holes 110-110 in the legs 90-90 of the applicator. The threads are of opposite hand and one or more holes 112 are provided in the bar into which an implement, such as the bit of a screw driver, may be placed for rotating the bar and hence moving the parts of the applicator to and from each other.

A gauge plate 113 (FIG. 1) is mounted at the rear side of the receptacle on the forward ends of a pair of rearwardly extending arms 114-114. The arms 114-114 have at their lower sides shoulders 116-116 which rest on the upper edge of the receptacle and thus hold the plate in a substantially horizontal position for movement forwardly and rearwardly relative to the support 28. The rear ends of the arms 114-114 are connected by pins 118-118 to arms 120-120 of bell-crank levers pivotally supported on the shaft 74. A shaft 122 is mounted between the other arms 124-124 of the bell-crank levers and contains midway between its ends a diametrically threaded hole 126. A lug 128 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 50 above the shaft 122 which contains a hole 130 in alignment with the hole in the shaft 122. A rod 132, having a stem 134 of smaller diameter, is inserted through the hole 130 in the lug and held in place by a pin 136 at the underside of the lug. The lower end of the stem is threaded for engagement with the threaded hole in the shaft 122. The upper end of the rod has a knob 140 which provides for rotating the rod and, through the screw-threaded connection of the stem with the shaft 122, rocking the bell-crank levers in such fashion as to move the gauge plate forwardly or rearwardly according to the direction of rotation. The forward end of the gauge plate has a wedge-shaped opening, the edges of which diverge forwardly. Gauge blocks 142-142 are fastened by means of screw bolts 144 to the gauge plate, each block having a vertically disposed flange 146 substantially parallel to the edge of the notch for engagement with the side of the last above the bottom to hold it centered with respect to the applicator.

The applicator 32, as previously indicated, is raised and lowered by the fluid-operated motor 66 and this is effected automatically by sensing means operable, when the shoe is placed on the support in the proper position for application of the adhesive thereto, to supply pressure to the fluid motor 66 in a direction to raise the applicator from the receptacle. As herein illustrated (FIG. 9), a pair of pipes 148 and 150 are mounted at opposite sides of the support and above the upper horizontal surface thereof, with their ends in alignment with each other and spaced apart sufficiently to permit the heel-end of the last, when placed in position on the support, to be inserted between these ends. Preferably the pipes are spaced from the upper surface of the support 28 so as to be opposite the narrow neck portion of the last. The pipe 148 is connected to a source of air pressure, for example the air pressure that is ordinarily available in shoe factories for operating shoe machinery of various kinds. A reducing valve RV and a pressure regulator PR are provided in the line to lower the pressure at the end of the pipe 148. The pipe 150 is connected to a chamber 152, provided with a displaceable diaphragm 153, to which is connected a spindle 155. The spindle is, in turn, connected to a switch element 154 so that displacement of the diaphragm will hold the switch element in an open position. The switch 154, by engagement with a terminal 157, will complete a circuit through a solenoid-operated valve SV which, in turn, will admit pressure from the source of pressure through a line 159 to the fluid-operable motor 66. When there is no last on the support 28 a jet of air ejected from the pipe 148 impinges directly upon the pipe 150, providing a sufficient amount of pressure in the pipe 150 to displace the diaphragm 153 and hence to hold the switch element 154 open, that is, away from the terminal 157. In this position, the solenoid-operated valve SV is de-energized and no air is supplied to the fluid-operated motor 66 and hence the applicator will remain submerged in the receptacle. The moment a last is placed on the support so as to come between the pipes 148 and 150 and hence to cut off the pressure in the pipe 150, the diaphragm 153 collapses, bringing the switch element 154 into engagement with the terminal 157 and thereby energizing the solenoid-operated valve SV and opening the latter so as to supply fluidpressure to the fiuid-pressure-operated motor 66. Supplying pressure to the motor 66 raises the applicator from the receptacle into engagement with the underside of the sole on the last and will hold the applicator in this position until the last is removed from the support. The valve SV is provided with a bleeder passage so that when the supply of fluid pressure is cut-off the weight of the applicator will return it to the bottom of the well. Obviously, the motor could be made double-acting by an appropriate valve so as to return the applicator to the well by supplying pressure to the opposite end of the cylinder, or a spring could be employed to provide for the return movement.

A cover 160, having a top 162, back 164, front 166 and sides 168-468, is pivotally mounted at the front side of the receptacle on hinge elements 170170 for pivotal movement forwardly to provide for access to the receptacle and to the operating linkage. of the back wall rests on a shoulder at the rear side of the receptacle and contains an opening 172 which straddles the linkage. The front wall 166 is preferably inclined somewhat and contains an opening 174 through which the last may be thrust into position on the support 28. To facilitate guiding the shoe into position, camshaped elements 176176 are pivotally secured by screw bolts 178178 to the front wall at each side of the opening 174, near the lower edge thereof, for engagement with the sides of the last. The cam elements have curved surfaces 180180 which increase in radius relative to the screw bolts 1'78178, so that, by adjustment, the spacing between these edges may be increased or decreased according to the width of the last.

In the use of the device, the applicator parts are first adjusted to provide a U-shaped surface corresponding in size to the end of the shoe to which the adhesive is to be applied; the gauge plate 113 is adjusted forwardly or rearwardly with respect to the applicator so that, by contact with the end of the shoe, it will hold the latter in a position for proper application of the adhesive; and the cam members 176176 are adjusted for the width of the shoe. Having made these adjustments the shoe is thrust through the opening 174 until its heel-end engages the gauge blocks 146146 and is held in this position whereupon the sensing means operates to supply pressure to the fluid-operable motor 66 and hence raise the applicator into engagement with the underside of the insole at the bot-tom side of the last.

The adhesive is supplied to the receptacle 12, as previously explained, from the melting pct 20, this being kept filled with a suitable quantity of adhesive and being heated in suitable fashion, for example, by heating coils emedded in the bottom and walls of the pots or by an external heater, if desired. A float valve may be employed, if desired, to control the flow of molten adhesive from the melting pot to the receptacle as the latter is emptied, such means being of conventional design and hence not illustrated herein.

The sensing means, as illustrated herein, is pneumatic however other means may be employed for this purpose such, for example, as a light beam interrupted by inter position of a last, or a proximity switch, these devices being considered to be the full equivalent of the pneumatic pressure-operated means disclosed herein.

Although the applicator is designed specifically for the The lower edge application of adhesive to the heel-end of an insole attached to the bottom of a last, the applicator may be modified in any suitable fashion for applying adhesive, for example, to the toe end of an insole and, for that matter, for application to any shoe part to which adhesive is to be applied Without departing from the spirit of the invention, the essential aspect of which is to automatically apply adhesive to a part by the mere placing of the part in a position to receive an application of adhesive.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1 A device for applying adhesive to a component part of a shoe comprising: a well for holding a quantity of the adhesive; a support, extending over the well above the body of adhesive, for supporting said part; a pair of spaced hangers extending downwardly into the Well on opposite sides of the support; a cradle extending between the hangers and pivoted to the hangers for limited tilting movement about a first horizontal axis; a table mounted to the cradle for limited tilting movement about a second horizontal axis that is at right angles to said first axis; an applicator mounted to and extending upwardly of the table; and drive means to raise the hangers, cradle, table and applicator from a lower position wherein the applicator is immersed in the body of adhesive to a position of engagement of the applicator with said part.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 further comprising: means responsive to the positioning of the shoe part on the support for operating said drive means.

3. Apparatus for applying adhesive to an end of a shoe comprising, a receptacle for holding a body of adhesive, a support mounted on the receptacle over the surface of the adhesive, an applicator supported within the receptacle below the support for movement upwardly from the body of adhesive into engagement with the shoe resting on the support, a gauge on the receptacle adjacent the support operative to position the shoe on the support relative to the applicator, an arm pivotally mounted on the receptacle with an end above the support, a link connecting said end of the arm to the applicator, a motor connected to the arm operative to raise the applicator from the receptacle, a link connected at its ends, respectively, to the receptacle and the first mentioned link, parallel to the arm, operative to maintain the applicator parallel to the surface as it is raised from the adhesive, and means operative, when the shoe is positioned on the support, to initiate operation of the motor.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, comprising an arm supporting the gauge for movement relative to the support on which the shoe part is placed to provide for adjusting the gauge, and a screw operative to effect movement of the arm and hence of the gauge relative to the support.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, comprising an arm supporting the gauge for movement relative to the support on which the shoe part is placed, a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted on the receptacle with one end pivotally connected to the arm and a screw threaded int-o the end of the other arm operable, by rotation, to rock the lever and hence to displace the arm.

6. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the applicator comprises a U-shaped implement corresponding substantially in shape to the end of the shoe to which the adhesive is to be applied.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the applicator comprises a two-part U-shaped implement having spaced parallel legs and overlapping semicircular end portions forming the bight, and means supporting the two parts for adjustment of the legs relative to each other to increase or decrease the spacing therebetween.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a channel-shaped member having a bottom and flanges,

7 8 said flanges being pivotally connected to the first men- References Cited by the Examiner tioned link at its lower end, transversely spaced lugs fixed UNITED STATES PATENTS to the bottom con-talnlng aligned openings, a screw journalled in said lugs, said screw having right and left 898,963 9/1908 Campbell hand threads, and said two-part implement having 5 966619 8/1910 Taylor 118*243 X threaded openings for receiving said screw ends for adjustment of the parts relative to each other by rotation of CHARLES WILLMUTH Prmmry Examiner the screw. L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR APPLYING ADHESIVE TO A COMPONENT PART OF A SHOE COMPRISING: A WELL FOR HOLDING A QUANTITY OF THE ADHESIVE; A SUPPORT, EXTENDING OVER THE WELL ABOVE THE BODY OF ADHESIVE, FOR SUPPORTING SAID PART; A PAIR OF SPACED HANGERS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY INTO THE WELL ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SUPPORT; A CRADLE EXTENDING BETWEEN THE HANGERS AND PIVOTED TO THE HANGERS FOR LIMITED TILTING MOVEMENT ABOUT A FIRST HORIZONTAL AXIS; A TABLE MOUNTED TO THE CRADLE FOR LIMITED TILTING MOVEMENT ABOUT A SECOND HORIZONTAL AXIS THAT IS AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FIRST AXIS; AN APPLICATOR MOUNTED TO AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY OF THE TABLE; AND DRIVE MEANS TO RAISE THE HANGERS, CRADLE, TABLE AND APPLICATOR FROM A LOWER POSITION WHEREIN THE APPLICATOR IS IMMERSED IN THE BODY OF ADHESIVE TO A POSITION OF ENGAGEMENT OF THE APPLICATOR WITH SAID PART. 